Tuesday, March 11, 2008

As I’ve gotten a bit older, ankle braces have become a part of my life. Note to self: stop challenging large men for the soccer ball. This week’s Time Magazine showed me that there are better uses for braces than merely holding together my old, creaky body: braces can be used in energy capture.

“Finding Energy All Around Us” examines some of the easy ways to capture energy that would be otherwise lost or would escape as heat. While the concept of energy harvesting is not new, it’s interesting to see some of the cool ideas people are exploring:

Knee brace – generates up to 5 watts!

Vibrations from bridge (or dance floor)

Rain falling on a rooftop

These are just a few of the great ideas out there. I can’t wait until my ankle brace can have an add-on to generate power while I burn some calories!

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About the Editor

Leigh Stringer, LEED AP, aka "Greenette," has spent her career focused on green design and workplace behavior. She works for HOK, a global architectural firm in Washington, D.C. and has been interviewed for her work by CNN, USA Today and ABC’s Good Morning America.